This week I was going through my vast collection of games that have been stored in the basement. Some from when the kids were small, and some from when my husband and I used to host “Game Nights”. Loved game nights—we’d invite several couples over and generally we’d do a theme and everyone would bring a dish to pass that went with that theme. We’d play loud, riotous games of Pictionary, The Newlywed game, Balderdash—and many more.

Anyway, I’m getting off track. Going through this massive stack I knew it was time to either donate some of them to Goodwill or send a few home with my daughter the next time she’s visiting.

I had a great time sorting through them and found it hard to believe how many I’d kept. There were games purchased years ago when my kids were small. Remember HI-HO Cheerio or Guess Who? I loved playing those games with the kids. I think sometimes I enjoyed playing the games more than them. We even had the Barney memory game…lol. I’m sure none of my kids would confess to loving Barney now, but they did. He was the coolest purple dinosaur in the land.

It made me reminisce about games we played as kids. One of my all time favorites was a game called MYSTERY DATE. My mom picked it up at a yard sale when I was a kid and I remember playing it with my sister and the neighbor girls on the front porch. I think that’s when my love of romance began. Lol. We all wanted to open that mystery door and find the hot guy with the white tux coat smiling back at us.

Another favorite was OPERATION. I begged my mom to play all the time. Probably drove her crazy. For some odd reason I even toyed with the idea of becoming a doctor…lol But one nice thing about that game, it was easily played solo.

And of course there were all those old time favorites like LIFE, TROUBLE and MONOPOLY (which I played endlessly in the summer with a neighbor friend on rainy days or after the streetlights came on and we had to come inside…we’d have games go on for weeks…lol).

My brother and I used to play WATERWORKS and that was fun, but not many people seem to remember that game. I know he also liked what I always referred to as “boy games”…you know, RISK or STRATEGO—those are the only two I can think of because usually he ended up playing them with my cousin, who—I swear—had every board game ever made. LOL

Oh, we loved games! We played Monopoly but to cut down on time we dealt out the properties like they were playing cards instead of having to buy them. Then we’d trade for what we wanted. Seemed like a good way to play. We also played games like Rack-O and Mille Bourne (I probably spelled that wrong) which were more like card games. And of course Hi Ho Cherry O! Fun!

Our babysitter would set up a card table outside and my brother and I would play dominos. Then more often we’d play Old Maid or Go Fish. I would have loved playing that Mystery Date game. It looks so…romantic!

Another ‘boy’ game I played was Battleship. I think I still have one I found more recently at a yard sale somewhere in storage. I think my fondest memories were family night with Monopoly. My parents usually spent weekends at their fave bar visiting friends they seldom saw, so whenever we had a family night weekend it was special. But once I had kids it was Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, Life. But I think my all time fave was and is- Dominoes. My dad and I used to always play Dominoes. Oh- and one I loved as a kid, enough to buy just to have a few years ago- Barrel O’Monkeys!

I remember Waterworks!! My biggest memory of it was during the blizzard of 1978 and we were ALL stuck in the house with the wind howling outside and snow drifts up to the roof (I kid you not). My dad and I would sit in the dining room and play Waterworks.

I have a funny story about Candyland. I loved that game and would force my mom to play it all the time. When I was older (oh, about 12 or so), I was going through these old canisters she had and found all of the Candyland cards that had pictures on them! I discovered that my mom hated the cards with pictures because a lot of the time they made you go backward and the game was never ending. So she hid the cards so all we we played with were the cards that made you go forward. LOL!

I have to admit that I MIGHT have done the same thing when I played with my kids ::sheepish grin::

I remember the Blizzard of 78..we had snow drifts up to the roof too…and no power for over a week…it was awesome (at least from a kids perspective). I remember my mom cooking in a pot in the fireplace…and the made dash to the cold cold bathroom. UGH!

Monopoly, for sure. My older brother and I used to have all-night, Monopoly death matches (loser would have to do something *awful*)… So it’s probably no surprise that Monopoly is one game I hate playing now.

Operation (which my neighbor had but I didn’t – so jealous), Mille Bourne (a French card game involving cars) and Uno. Trivial pursuit when it first came out. So many fun games. We have zillions at our house, too.

But my childhood and young adulthood wouldn’t be complete without Scrabble with my grandma and grandad Linscott. My grandad was a hoot. He cheated, but he was so much fun we didn’t care. My all time fave was Chinese checkers with him. Miss you, Grandad.

Wonderful post this week! I remember all these games! Takes me back…Our favorite was Mystery Mansion! Oh, the little treasure chests, the scary house, it was so much fun. I even bought the game on Ebay a few years ago to play with my kids. Thanks, Christine!

Oh gosh, board games! Monopoly was always a biggie, Trouble. There was a card game in my middle school years that everyone was playing called Speed. When I left Texas and came to Arizona, I was living with my family in a mobile home park and I taught everyone there the game of Speed. Then came this electronic memory type game called Henry. I LOVED that game and recently found it on Ebay and my husband bought it for me lol. Now I sit there and play with with my 3 year old. He doesn’t get the concept of the game yet but he sure loves pushing buttons for all those sounds.

Video games were big for my family growing up. My parents both played RPG’s together, and my brother played them at a young age. I love, love love Tetris! Now I have a video game lover of a husband and he is aiming to collect one of each game console ever made. I think we’re up to 30 or more, not counting the double ups from what I had when we got together.

My boys are huge video gamers..and we have several different consoles too. I still like the original Nintendo along with the games Tetris, Loopz and Dr Mario…fun fun fun! But you can’t beat a good board game.

I’ve never heard of Speed…and I loved TROUBLE….love that clicky bubble. lol

LOL…I love those games too Brenda….well, I have to truthfully say I didn’t play Risk or Mastermind..those were games enjoyed by my brother & cousin! Thanks for coming by!

chitsuen

May 11, 2012 at 7:25 pm

It was Candyland or bust for me when I was a small child. Recently I saw a Candyland cake someone made on the evil Pinterest and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. :) Btw, happy Friday folks!

You aren’t going to believe this, but the only three board games we had when little was Chinese Checkers, Mah Jong (which we didn’t know how to play), and checkers. When I was about 10, Papa and Mama bought a monopoly game. Loved it. Otherwise we played pinochle with our parents or my older brother and wife when they visited. That was brutal as both my father and sister-by-marriage remembered every card shown in a meld and played.

Mari, I’ve never played pinochle…I should really learn that one and see if I like it. I’ve only ever played Maj Jong on the computer…and game we played with my dad was Cribbage…I love that game. My father wasn’t a huge game player, but that was one you could always get him to play.